Originally from Cincinnati, Volpenhein graduated from Kings High School in Kings Mills, Ohio and attended Ohio State University, where he crewed for The Ohio State University Crew Club alongside coach John Gutrich; former Purdue lightweight rower, and coached by Tim Carrigg and Lou Renzulli.

Volpenhein is the only two-time winner (in 2002 and 2004) of the USRowing Male Athlete of the Year award.

[2] Volpenhein became the head coach of the University of Pennsylvania Men's Heavyweight Rowing Team in the 2019–2020 season.

[3] Volpenhein was previously the Training and Technical Director at the University of San Diego Men's Rowing team[4] for the 2018–2019 season and the Junior Men's Varsity Head Coach at the San Diego Rowing Club in 2019.

[5] In August 2022, Volpenhein resigned his position at the University of Pennsylvania,[6] so that his family could relocate to support his wife Sarah Trowbridge's move to be head coach of The University of Oklahoma Women's Rowing team.